My Dubai Rent takes you inside a reader's home to have a look at what they pay each month, see who they live with, and ask what they like and don't like
Karan Thawrani pays Dh44,000 ($11,980) a year to live in a one-bedroom pad in the famous Bur Dubai district.
The legal consultant, from India, said he chose to live there because he grew up in the neighbourhood as a child and feels a strong sense of shared community.
Among his favourite aspects of life in Bur Dubai is how busy it is with constant hustle and bustle, and also how convenient it is to reach other parts of the city from his home.
Mr Thawrani, 26, invited The National in for a tour of his home in Desert Rose Apartments to show us what makes it so very special to him.
Why did you choose to live here and how much do you pay in rent?
I chose to live here because I was born in this neighbourhood. I lived here until I was 8, when I moved to India with my family.
I returned to Dubai about two years ago and I wanted to live here because it has special memories for me.
It gives me a feeling of home that I don’t get anywhere else.
It costs me Dh44,000 and I can pay it over six cheques, which is extremely manageable.
I wanted to get a one-bedroom apartment but I also wanted to make sure it had plenty of space. I am really happy to have this place.
It’s one of the bigger apartments in the building and it has two bathrooms as well as a balcony, which was crucial to moving in here.
I wanted a place with a bit of extra space but wasn’t charging too much in rent, this ticked all the boxes really.
What are the advantages of living here?
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The Creek pictured from the Bur Dubai side. Dubai's old town is divided by the Creek, with Deira on the north side and Bur Dubai on the south. All photos: Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Many people say the hustle and bustle of the souq feels like the 'real Dubai'. -
Traders wait for customers in Bur Dubai's main souq. The Bur Dubai side is better known for its textiles and tourist souvenirs. The Deira side is better associated with the gold market and perfumes. -
The area is one of the most affordable to live in the city. Apartment buildings typically date back to the 1970s and 1980s. -
The district is known for its narrow streets and shops tightly packed together. -
The famous Dh1 boat service connects the two sides of the river. -
The old town's shops often offer goods of better quality - and better value - than shopping centres and supermarkets. -
It also offers a dazzling array of trinkets - and not always top-quality ones ... -
Spices and herbs can be bought for low cost and even shipped back to your home country. -
A shopkeeper waits for customers on a quiet and warm night in May 2022. The souqs are noticeably quieter since cruise ships began docking at Dubai Marina, 30km up the coast, instead of at the Creek.
Living here means I am pretty central to almost everything, which is fantastic.
If I want to go to Sharjah or to the other side of Dubai, like JLT, then the distance is about the same, so it’s convenient from that point of view.
Being an Indian is great here, too. It reminds me so much of my home country because there are so many fellow Indians here and it is always thriving with lots of people around.
There are other communities in Dubai that just don’t have that. A lot of them are too quiet for my liking, there’s nothing to do, especially in the gated communities.
You just have to walk out the front door here and you are surrounded by shops and restaurants, as well as crowds.
Everyone is so approachable. You can just walk up to someone and have a chat with them and they will be so friendly.
I go to the gym nearby about four times a week and everyone down there is really helpful and easy to talk to.
Are there any downsides to living here?
Not for me. There are still places open that I remember as a child.
There are so many good memories all around me.
What have you done to make the place your own?
I’ve just really got all the basic stuff you expect, such as a television, dining table and sofa.
The sofa converts into a bed so when my parents come over to visit, they can have the bedroom.
A townhouse on the Dubai-Abu Dhabi border for Dh82,000: in pictures
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Jad Yammine with his 2-month-old baby Liam and wife Magalie at their home in Abu Dhabi's Al Ghadeer community. All photos: Khushnum Bhandari / The National -
The living room at Jad's home has plenty of seating space. -
The second bedroom has been converted into a home office space. Jad took the doors off the wardrobes to make shelves. -
The upstairs family room was converted into the master bedroom. -
The master bedroom was converted into a room for the baby. -
The dining room space was designed by Jad. -
The garden has a number of seating areas. -
The dining table in the garden. -
The Waterfall Park is one of many amenities in the Al Ghadeer community. -
The Al Ghadeer neighbourhood offers a variety of residential units, including villas, townhouses and apartments. -
Rainbow Park has a play area for children.
